Movable table structure for stencil cutting device



Oct. 11, 1966 R. w. JACKSON MOVABLE TABLE STRUCTURE FOR STENCIL CUTTING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 29, 1964 Oct. 11, 1966 R. w. JACKSON 3,277,990

MOVABLE TABLE STRUCTURE FOR STENCIL CUTTING DEVICE Filed Sept. 29, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 11, 1966 R. w. JACKSON 3,277,990

MOVABLE TABLE STRUCTURE FOR STENCIL CUTTING DEVICE Filed Sept. 29, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet Z5 3,277,990 MOVABLE TABLE STRUCTURE FOR STENCIL CUTTING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 R. W. JACKSON Oct. 11, 1966 Flled Sept 29, 1964 United States Patent "ice 3,277,990 MOVABLE TABLE STRUCTURE FOR STENCIL CUTTING DEVICE Richard W. Jackson, Arlington Heights, Ill., assignor to Weber Marking Systems, Inc., a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 29, 1964, Ser. No. 400,256 2 Claims. (Cl. 197--6.4)

This invention relates to a new and improved stencil cutting device.

In the past stencils have been cut by a hand operated stylus or by a typewriter. It has, however, been difficult if not impossible to cut stencils with broad faced type. The present machine is concerned with a novel means for cutting stencils.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel stencil cutting machine in which the stencil to be cut may be indexed both transversely and longitudinally for letter and row spacing.

An important object of this invention is the provision of means for a single power source to accomplish both lateral indexing stencil movement and longitudinal indexing stencil movement.

Another important object of this invention resides in a releasable straight line ratchet mechanism for both transverse. and longitudinal movement of the stencil to be cut.

Still another important object of this invention relates to a quickly removable and replaceable ratchet rack to provide for different incremental adjustments of a stencil during cutting or remo-ving of the stencil coating.

Another and still further important object of this invention is to provide novel quick attachable straight ratchet racks and rockable release pawls cooperable therewith whereby a stencil holding clamping means may be incrementally shifted for unifo'rm transverse movement and a stencil receiving table may be incrementally shifted for uniform longitudinal movement.

Other and further important objects and advantages will be apparent from the disclosures in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the stencil cutting machine of this invention FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the stencil cutting machine of FIGURE 1 with the auxiilary frame swung away from its superposed position over the main frame as shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal front to back sectional view taken through the stencil cutting machine of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of the device as shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the stencil cutting machine of this invention opposite to that shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the stencil cutting machine as shown in FIGURE 2 with the auxiliary frame in an outwardly swung position.

FIGURE 7 is a detail sectional view of the quick attachable straight ratchet rack for effecting longitudinal incremental movement of the stencil receiving table of this invention.

As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally a main frame or supporting structure which is preferably made as a metal casting. The frame 10 is substantially hollow in order to minimize the weight of the machine and to provide for a housing for the operating parts of the stencil cutting machine. The main frame 10 is provided with spaced apart front feet or table engaging pads 11 and 11a. Similarly the supporting structure 10 is provided with spaced apart rear feet or table engaging pads 12 and 12a so that the main frame is supported in a stable manner to permit the cutting of stencils thereon. The main frame Patented Oct. 11, 1966 10 is provided with upper side edges 13 which act to re ceive a generally flat horizontally disposed stencil receiving table 14. It is on this table that the stencil to be cut is placed.

The table 14 is arranged and constructed to be incrementally adjusted longitudinally relative to the top 13 of the supporting structure 10. An aperture 14a is provided in a generally central portion of the table 14 for the purpose of permitting the application of substantial pressures upwardly through the table to engage the stencil and thereupon effect a cutting thereof by reason of the stencil engaging type characters. The type characters will subsequently be described and shown to be arranged and positioned above the table aperture. The longitudinal incremental movement of the table 14 thus provides for the line spacing of the stencil as it is being cut with various indicia.

A stencil clamping means 15 is mounted on the forward edge of the table 14- and is arranged and constructed to have transverse sliding movement therealong. The stencil clamping elements are shown at 15a and 15b. An edge of a stencil to be cut is placed between the gripping members 15a and 1511 while the body portion of the stencil is adapted to extend rearwardly over the table 14. The clamping member 15 is arranged to be incrementally moved along the forward edge of the table 14 to thereupon obtain proper letter spacing for the stencil indicia.

The main frame or supporting structure 10 is provided with spaced apart hinge ears 16 and 16a which project generally upwardly at the rear thereof. A hinge pin 17 is disposed generally transversely of the main frame 10 and passes through aligned apertures in the spaced apart hinge ears 16 and 16a. An auxiliary frame or supporting structure 18 is arranged and constructed to be hingedly mounted relative to the main frame 10 in such a manner that the auxiliary frame may be positioned in a superposed position over the main frame as shown in FIGURES l, 3, 4 and 5 or in an outwardly swung position such as shown in FIG-- URES 2 and 6. The auxiliary frame is provided with spaced apart rearwardly projecting ears 18a and 18b which are joined by a cross member at their outer ends. The spaced apart ears 18a and 18b are provided with aligned apertures to permit the passage therethrough of the hinge pin 17 such as particularly shown in FIGURE 6. The ears 18a and 18b are adapted to lie between and in generally closely abutting relationship to the inner edges of the spaced apart ears 16 and 16a respectively which form a part of the base main frame 10. Thus the auxiliary frame 18 is hingedly mounted relative to the main frame 10 about the hinge pin 17 so that as previously stated the auxiliary frame may be disposed in either a position where it is in close superposition relative to the main frame or outwardly swung away from its position over the stencil receiving table on the main frame.

The auxiliary frame is adapted to carry a disc 19 on its underside. The outer periphery of the disc has embossed type characters 20 thereon such as shown in FIGURES 3 and 6. A hand engaging knob 21 is provided at the top of the auxiliary frame 18 and by means of a set screw or pin 22 is adapted to be affixed to a generally vertically disposed spindle 23 on which the disc 19 is mounted for concurrent rotation. The spindle 23 is journally supported within a generally vertically disposed and elongated bushing 18d of the auxiliary frame 18. Thus the type carrying disc 19 may be manually mated by an engagement of the hand knob 21 to thereupon place any one of the type characters 20 in proper position to act as the means for cutting or removing the stencil coating in this machine. A generally centrally disposed block 18a is bolted to the auxiliary frame 18 as shown at 18 at the front center position of the auxiliary frame. It

is beneath this block 18c that the selected type character 20 on the disc 19 must be placed in order to effect a stencil cutting in this machine.

The main frame 10 is provided with generally cylindrically shaped bosses 24 and 24a formed on both sides thereof as shown in FIGURE 6. These sleeve-like bosses are internally threaded. The auxiliary frame 18 is provided with similarly transversely spaced apart bosses 25 and 25a which are each provided with apertures arranged and constructed to lie in axial alignment with the internally threaded holes in the sleeves 24 and 24a on the main frame when the auxiliary frame is in superposed position over the stencil receiving table 14 of the main frame. Cap screws 26 and 26a are employed to pass through the apertures in the wing-like bosses 25 and 25a of the auxiliary frame 18 for threaded engagement with the internal threads in the sleeve-like bosses 24 and 24a of the main frame to thereupon rigidly hold the auxiliary frame in fixed position relative to the main frame as it is shown in FIGURES 1, 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings. When it is desired to gain access to the type carrying disc 19 for replacement or servicing or to gain more ready access to the operating mechanisms of the device to be subsequently described, the cap screws 26 and 26a are removed and the auxiliary frame 18 swung upwardly and rearwardly such as shown in FIGURES 2 and 6. In this open position it is obvious that the movable type carrying mechanism may be entirely removed and replaced with different sizes or styles of type or may be merely cleaned or serviced as necessary. When the machine is again to be used in its stencil cutting function the auxiliary frame is swung downwardly about its hinge 17 and the cap screws 26 and 26a replaced. In this closed position the stencil may be cut. The cutting operation utilizes a back-up block or plate 182 to contain the pressure which is utilized to impress the stencil against the particular type character 20 to be cut in the stencil.

The device of this invention is operated by a lever 27 having a hand engaging knob or handle 28 such as shown in FIGURES 4 and 6. The lever 27 is bent at right angles as shown in FIGURE 6 so that its right angle extension indicated by the numeral 29 constitutes a shaft which is journally supported in bushings 29a and 29b mounted respectively in the spaced apart ears 16 and 16a of the main frame at a position spaced forwardly of the hinge pin 17 and generally near the bottom of the main frame. Adjustable collars 29c are arranged on the shaft 29 to flank both sides of the wall member 16 whereby the shaft may be accurately adjusted within the frame.

As best shown in FIGURES 3 and 6 the shaft 29 has mounted thereon a lever 30 which in a nonactuating position is as shown in full lines in FIGURE 3. When the hand lever 27-28 is pulled forwardly toward the stencil receiving table 14 the lever arm 30 is rocked to a position as shown in dashed lines in FIGURE 3 by reason of rotation of the shaft 29. A link means 31 comprises spaced apart arm members 31a and 31b which are fastened by means of a cross pin 32 to the upper end of the lever arm 30. This link means 31 extends forwardly within the base housing 10 for ultimate connection to a pressure urging roller mechanism 33. The roller mechanism 33 includes an outer race member 33a, a plurality of antifriction ball members 33b and an inner race or hub 330 as best shown in FIGURE 6. The hub 330 is substantially wider than the outer race 33a and the extensions formed on both sides of the centrally located roller are utilized to cooperate with a cammed surface to cause a rising of the roller mechanism 33 for the purpose of applying pressures through the aperture 14a in the stencil receiving table 14 to cause stencil cutting in a manner to be subsequently described. The link members 31a and 3112 are bent or flared outwardly intermediate their ends as shown at 31c and their forward ends 31d flank the outer sides of the hub 330. A rivet or pin means 34 fastens the link arms 31a and 31b to the hub 330. A rocking movement of the lever arm 30 from its full line position to the dashed line position as shown in FIGURE 3 will cause the roller mechanism 33 to move forwardly in the device of this invention.

The cam mechanism constitutes a generally U-shaped block member 35 with spaced apart track or rail members 35a and 35b. The rearward ends of the rails 35a and 35b have their top surfaces 350 inclined upwardly and forwardly whereupon the top surfaces are generally horizontally disposed as shown at 35d at their outer forward ends. It is upon these track-like surfaces 35a and 3512 that the laterally extending hub portions 33c of the roller means 33 ride to cause the roller means through its outer race 33a to exert substantial pressures upwardly through the aperture 14a in the stencil holding table 14. The generally U-shaped block 35 with a base 359 is confined by longitudinally spaced apart bosses 36 and 37 which form a part of the base housing 10. A bottom plate 38 is fastened to the longitudinally spaced boss members 36 and 37 by cap screws 39 and define a space 40 within which is carried a mechanism to cause accurate vertical adjustment of the block member 35 so that various thicknesses of stencil sheets may be accommodated and so that only the stencil coating is removed in the stencil cutting process without causing damage to the porous base tissue sheet of the stencil.

The chamber 40 includes a longitudinally adjustable wedge block 41 the inclined top surface of which lies against the similarly inclined lower surface of the bottom 35a of the generally U-shaped block 35. These mating inclined surfaces provide the wedge adjusting means for the micrometer-like vertical positioning of the block 35. An elongated screw member 42 is threadedly engaged to and within the wedge block 41. As shown in FIGURE 3 the block 41 abuts the end boss 36 and thus has raised the block 35 its maximum distance. The block 35 may be lowered by rotating the screw 42 and causing the wedge block 41 to move forwardly in the chamber 40 to thus permit the block 35 to drop. The adjustment is preferably made by manually inserting a screw driver through an aperture 43 in the front skirt of the housing 10 and into a screw slot 44 in the forward end of the elongated screw 42.

In the operation of the device of this invention a stencil 45 to be cut is placed on the table 14. The clamp elements 15a and 15b are separated by depressing a handle 15c of the member 15a. about a hinge 15d. A spring 15e is arranged about the hinge 15d in a manner to cause the jaws 15a and 15b to be urged together. An incrementally releasable ratchet mechanism 46 is disposed intermediate the table 14 and the clamping member 15 such that the clamping member may be adjustably moved transversely of the table 14. The stencil 45 extends beneath the block 18e of the auxiliary frame 18 and has individual type characters 20 cut therein at that position. The desired letter is selected and then manually positioned beneath the block 18e by rotation of the hand knob 21. Now the hand lever 27-28 is swung forwardly causing the pressure roller to be cammed upwardly and thence longitudinally of the opening 14a. The roller causes the stencil sheet to be rolled against a selected letter on the disc 19 with the block 182 as the reactance member. In order that the selected letter 20 be centered in the stencil cutting location the disc 19 is locked in position by a locking pin 47 moving into engagement in socket apertures 47a in the disc 19 thereupon prohibiting rotation of the disc 19. The device is arranged to automatically lock during application of the stencil cutting pressures by the roller means 33. A second ratchet means 48 is mounted longitudinally of the base 10 beneath the table 14 so that upon completion of one line of stencil cutting indicia the entire table 14 may be longitudinally adjusted so that a uniformly spaced succeeding line may be cut.

A ribbon 49 may be utilized to absorb the emulsion coating of the stencil during its removal from a particular letter outline. The ribbon 49 may be incrementally advanced by means Stl in response to operation of the stencil cutting.

As best shown in FIGURE 3 the clamping means is equipped with a C shaped member 55 which is snugly positioned over the forward edge of the stencil receiving table 14 for guided slidable movement therealong. A hand gripping knob 56 is affixed to said elongated C shaped member to facilitate the manual sliding of said clamping means relative to the table 14. The top 55a of the C member carries the hinge 15d about which the clamp member 15a is rocked. The rear edge of the top 55a constitutes the clamp member 151; which cooperates with the clamp member 15a to hold a stencil during cutting thereof. The bottom 55b of the C member is provided with an elongated slot 57 to receive a straight line ratchet rack 58. The rack 58 has regularly spaced apart ratchet teeth 58:: as shown in FIGURES 3 and 6. The rack may alternatively be attached either by conventional fastening means to the C member 55 or arranged and constructed for quick attachment to said member. In this instance a tab or handle-like extension 581) is provided on one end of the rack 58. The rack is then slid into the open slot 57. A notch 580 in the other end of the rack is adapted to abut a yieldable, spring biased post or cross pin 59 which is carried in the end of the C member 55. A hook-like projection 58d is formed on the edge of the rack opposite its ratchet teeth near the handle end of the rack. An elongated notch 55c is provided in the C member as shown in FIGURE 6. In in serting the rack 58 in that elongated notch 550 it is manually gripped by the handle 58b and pushed against the yieldable post 59 to compress its back-up spring 59a until the hook 58d can pass through the notch 55c such as shown in FIGURE 6. The handle 58b is then released whereupon the spring 59a and the post 59 causes the rack to return until the hook is locked around the edge of the notch 55c and thereby prevents removal of the rack until the spring yieldable post 59 is again depressed.

The clamping mechanism 15 is normally urged transversely in the direction of the arrow 66 as shown in FIGURE 4 by means to be subsequently described. As best shown in FIGURE 3 the pawl and ratchet mechanism 46 comprises a pawl member 61 mounted for rocking movement about a hinge pin 62 on a depending bracket 62a from the table 14. A spring 63 acts to normally hold the rocking member 61 in its position as shown in FIGURE 3. The rocking pawl or escapement member 61 has pawl elements 61a and 61b which are offset circumferentially about the axis of rocking and which in being rocked upwardly and downwardly alternately engage the rack teeth 58a in the manner of an escapement. The olfset spacing between the pawl members 61a and 61b is substantially the transverse extent of a tooth 58a. When the pawl 61 is rocked downwardly the one member 61a moves away from in front of one of the teeth 58a and the other member 61b moves downwardly in behind the same tooth. The pawl element 61a is pivotally mounted at 610 on the pawl element 61b of the rocking pawl 61. A spring 64 joins a post 61d on the pawl member 6111 and a depending post 61c which is on the pawl element 61b and behind post 61d as shown in FIGURE 3. The straight ratchet rack and the entire clamping mechanism 15 is thus permitted to escape-index a distance equal to the space between two teeth. Upward and downward rocking of the pawl 61 is accomplished by a hand lever 65 located on the front of the machine. The hand lever 65 is hingedly mounted at 65a on the main frame 10. An end 65b of the lever 65 through the medium of an elongated rod 650 is adapted to abut a depending post 66 on the pawl 46. When the hand lever 65 is depressed the post 66 is raised and the pawl 61 rocked against the action of the spring 63. The clamping member 15 then moves laterally along the forward edge of the table 14 and this indexing provides for a succeeding area of the stencil to be cut.

The table moving pawl and ratchet means 48 is best shown in FIGURES 4,. 6 and 7. A hand lever 67 is positioned on the front of the machine spaced from the hand lever 65. The lever 67 is mounted on a shaft 68 which is journally carried in the main frame 10 between spaced apart boss members 69 and 70 for rockable movement as shown in FIGURE 7. The pawl and ratchet mechanism broadly referred to as 48 includes a pawl 71 which is affixed to the shaft 68 at a location between the supporting bosses 69 and 70. Thus when the shaft is rocked by reason of a depression of the hand lever 67 the pawl '71 is similarly rocked. The pawl 71 is confined against longitudinal movement but is the means for releasing the table 14 in uniform increments for longitudinal movement of the table. The pawl 71 has a sleeve end 71a which abuts the supporting member 70. A stop 71]; carried on sleeve end 71a acts to limit rockable movement of a pawl element 710 about a hinge shaft 71c. A pawl member 71d is secured to stop member 71b and is spaced behind member 71c as viewed in FIGURE 7. Member 71d carries the hinge shaft 712. A spring 71 is fastened between a post 71g on the end sleeve 71a and a post 7111 on the pawl element 71c to thereupon normally urge the pawl element against the limit stop 71b. The pawl 71 cooperates with a straight line ratchet rack 72. The rack 72 is provided with depending ratchet teeth 72a at spaced intervals along the bottom thereof. The pawl elements 710 and 71d flank the front and rear edges of a tooth 72a of the rack 72. In addition to the longitudinal separation of the pawl elements 710 and 71d they are also laterally spaced as best shown in FIGURE 4 so that in one position thereof only one pawl element is engaging a depending tooth 72a. However, upon rocking the pawl 71 the one pawl element moves out from alignment with the rack 72 and the other pawl element moves in so that at all times the table 14 is held against unlimited longitudinal movement. Rather, the table 14 moves in increments in distance amounts equal to the spacing between the teeth 72a. It is the rocking back and forth which releases the pawl 71 from one tooth and then resets it in engagement with a succeeding tooth.

The straight line ratchet rack 72 has a forwardly disposed hand gripping portion 72b and forwardly and rearwardly disposed notches 72c and 72d respectively. The table 14 is provided on its underside with laterally spaced apart guide rails 73 and 74- as shown in FIGURE 4 and it is between these rails that the rack 72 is mounted. The rearward ends of the rails 73 and 74 are on their inwardly facing surfaces channeled as shown at 76 to receive a ball 77. A coil spring 77a is disposed within the elongated bore 76 formed by the channeling and arranged to abut the ball 77. A longitudinally adjustable set screw 78 is threadedly engaged within the rearward end of the bore 76 and acts to confine the ball 77 and spring 77a. The coil spring 77a thus urges the ball 77 into engagement with the rearwardly opening notch 72d in the rack 72. A fixed cross pin 79 spans the forward end of the table rails 73 and 74 and engages the forwardly opening notch 720 in the rack 72. The rack 72 is thus, by reason of its construction, a quickly removable and replaceable rack. In operation the rack is manually gripped by the handle 72b and then pushed rearwardly against the action of the spring 77a until the forwardly open notch 720 is clear of the cross pin 79 whereupon the rack is swung downwardly about the ball 77 and then slid forwardly for removal. An opposite procedure is employed to replace a rack in this position. Obviously racks with different tooth spacing may be employed to thereby vary the degree of longitudinal shift of the table 14. The table 14 is normally spring urged rearwardly by means to be described. Thus when the hand lever 67 is depressed and then released. the escapement mechanism 48 permits the table 14 to move longitudinally an amount equal to the space between adjacent teeth. This is accomplished by the transversely rocking of the pawl elements past the front and rear of a tooth and the spring means which normally urges the table rearwardly.

A single spring motor 80 as best shown in FIGURES 4, and 6 is utilized to provide the spring drive for both the clamping means 15 and the table 14. The motor includes a drum 81 journaled on a shaft 82. The shaft 82 is mounted on the outside of the main housing 10. The drum 81 lies inwardly of a spool 83 which is also carried on the shaft 82 and is keyed to the drum 81. The spring motor 80 also includes two drums 84 and which lie in the same plane with the drum 81. Flat steel coiled springs 86 and 87 are mounted on the drums 84 and 85 and have their ends anchored thereto. The other ends of each coiled spring is wrapped with several windings on the drum 81 and anchored to the core thereof. As shown in FIGURE 5 the drum 84 normally tends to wind up in a clockwise direction by the spring 86 as indicated by the arrow 88. Similarly the drum 85 has a normal tendency to rotate or wind up in the direction of the arrow 89. Both drums 84 and 85 thus assist in causing the drum 81 to rotate in an opposite direction as shown by the arrow 90. The three drums together constitute the spring motor with the driven spool 83 receiving the motor drive. The drums 84 and are carried on shafts 91 and 92 respectively which are mounted on the side wall of the main housing 10.

A cable 93 is anchored at 94 to the outer end of the clamping means 15 as shown in FIGURES 4 and 6. The cable 93 extends from its attachment at 94 across the front of the machine to a small V-pulley 95 which is journally supported on the underside of the table 14 at the front, left hand corner as viewed from the front of the machine. As best shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 the cable 93 is anchored to the spool 83 and by reason of the spring motor 80 the cable tends to wind up thereon. The normal tendency is for the clamping means 15 to move in a leftward direction relative to the table whenever it may do so. However, it cannot do so until the pawl 61 which is in engagement with the rack 58 is released by a depression of the hand lever 65. A rocking of the hand lever 65 actuates the escapement mechanism and causes incremental transverse movement of the clamping means a distance equal to the tooth spacing of the particular rack employed. In all instances the rack employed should be commensurate with the size of type 20 employed on the type carrying disc 19 so that proper 1 letter spacing will be assured.

The table 14 is provided on its underside with laterally spaced apart guides or track members 96 and 97 which extend for a substantial longitudinal distance as may be seen in FIGURE 6. Spaced apart V grooved guide rollers 98 and 98a on one side and 99 and 99a on the other side are arranged for sliding or rolling contact with the spaced guide rails 96 and 97. The interengagement of these elements provide for the proper guiding of the table 14 during its incremental rearward movement as well as preventing vertical separation of the table 14- from the main frame 10. As shown in FIGURE 6 the guide rollers 98 and 99 are journalled on stub shafts 98b and 980 for the rollers 98 and 98a respectively and 99b and 99c for the rollers 99 and 9911 respectively. These stub shafts are carried on and fastened to the top side members 13 of the main supporting frame 19. The location of the spring motor cable windup spool 83 rearwardly of the front of the machine permits the single cable 93 to simultaneously pull the table 14 rearwardly as it pulls the clamping means 15 transversely. Both the table and the stencil clamping means are thus spring biased so that actuation of the releasable ratchet mechanism 4-6 or 48 will cause either the clamping means to be indexed one space for proper letter spacing on the stencil to be cut, or

the table to be indexed one line for proper row spacing on the stencil to be cut.

The present machine is arranged and constructed to automatically index the stencil one letter space upon the cutting of a letter. This is accomplished .by the elongated rod 65c which was previously mentioned in regard to the direct operation of the letter spacing by depressing the hand lever 65. The rod 650 extends rearwardly into the machine of this invention for disposition between vertically spaced horizontally extending pins 109 and 190a on the type wheel indexing rod 4-7. A coil spring 101 surrounds the rod 47 and is disposed between a flange 102 on a lower supporting bracket 103 and a shoulder 194 on the rod 47 spaced upwardly therefrom. The spring thus normally urges the rod 47 upwardly. A cam-like detent I05 passes through a cross notch or opening 47b in the indexing rod 47 and normally engages the top side of a roller 10012 journaled on the pin a within the rod 47 and in one position thereof holds the indexing rod or pin 47 down and free from engagement with the type carrying wheel or disc 19. A crank 106 is mounted on the shaft 29 and carries the camdeteent 105. When the hand lever 27-28 is swung forwardly the cam-detent is moved forwardly through the center of the rod 47. As shown in FIGURE 3 the underside of the cam-detent 105 has a quickly receding surface 107 which permits the indexing rod 47 to move upwardly. The elongated rod 650 is thus simultaneously raised to actuate the pawl and ratchet mechanism 46 in the same manner as if the hand lever 65 had been depressed. A guide roller 105a is mounted on the supporting structure 10 and acts to guide the cam-detent 105 through the indexing rod 47. As may be seen in FIGURE 6 the table 14 is provided with a rearwardly opening elongated notch 14b to permit the longitudinal indexing thereof without interference with the indexing pin 47. It will thus be apparent that as each letter or character is cut in the stencil the stencil will be indexed an amount necessary to provide for the cutting of the succeeding letter in a position closely adjacent the letter previously cut. Additional spacing at the ends of words may be made by depressing the hand lever 65. Also, for row spacing the table 14 is indexed by depressing the hand lever 67. In order to facilitate the necessary vertical movement of the rod 650 the rod is mounted through a bracket 108 which is hingedly mounted at 109 on a bracket 110 carried on the wall of the main frame 10.

In the operation of the device of this invention a stencil 45 is inserted between the clamping elements 15a and 1512. Letters on the disc 19 which are to be cut in the stencil are successively positioned beneath block 18e and the hand lever 2728 swung forwardly thus causing stencil cutting with the selected letters. Simultaneously the stencil is automatically indexed for successive letter cutting in the stencil. When a word is completed it is preferable that a tranvrese incremental movement of the stencil be made for proper word spacing by depressing the hand lever 65. Similarly, when a full line of stencil cutting is completed and it is desired to move the stencil longitudinally this is accomplished by depressing the hand lever 67.

An adjustable screw 39a is threadedly carried by the crank 30 and is adapted to limit the throw of the hand lever 27-28. The screw 39a is arranged to engage a lug 30b formed integrally with the frame structure 10. Greater or lesser arcuate movement may be accomplished by greater or lesser extensions of the end of the threaded set screw 3011.

I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles disclosed herein and I therefore do not propose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a stencil cutting machine, a base member, a table structure capable of supporting a stencil sheet on the upper surface thereof, a stencil sheet clamping structure capable of clamping the edge of a stencil sheet therein, said clamping structure slida-bly carried on the forward edge of said table structure so that a stencil sheet clamped in said clamping structure is positioned to lie on the upper surface of said table structure and is slid in a letter spacing direction on said table structure responsive to sliding movements of said clamping structure on said table structure, means carrying said table structure on said base member for movement of said table structure in a line spacing direction relative to said base member, a type wheel, means supported on said base member and rotatively carrying said type wheel for manual rotation in a plane parallel to and above the upper surface of said table structure, said table structure having an opening therethrough, means operating through said opening and against said type wheel for cutting selected type shape in a stencil sheet clamped in said clamping structure and lying on said upper surface of said table structure and beneath said type wheel, biasing means continuously biasing said clamping structure for movement in a line ending direction of any stencil sheet clamped therein relative to said type wheel, said biasing means additionally continuously biasing said table structure for movement toward the lower end of any stencil sheet clamped in said clamping structure and lying on said upper surface of said table structure relative to said type wheel, and a single spring motor, said spring motor providing the continuous biasing force for said biasing means and thereby providing both line spacing and letter spacing movements' 2. In a stencil cutting machine as set forth in claim 1 in which said biasing means comprises a cable secured at one end to the end of said clamping structure corresponding to the line end thereof, a pulley rotatively carried on said table structure on the side thereof corresponding to the line beginning side, said cable extending over said pulley and toward the end of said base member corresponding to the upper end of any stencil sheet lying on said table structure, said spring motor carried on said base member substantially adjacent the end thereof corresponding to the upper end of any stencil sheet carried on said. table structure, and the other end of said cable being connected to said spring motor so that said spring motor biases said clamping structure for movement toward a line ending direction and said table structure for movement toward the lower end of any stencil sheet clamped in said clamping structure and lying on said upper surface of said table structure relative to said type wheel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 115,763 6/1871 Moody 197-6.4 1,003,939 9/1911 Nielsen 197-6.6 1,131,956 3/1915 Remnsnider 197-6.7 1,146,852 7/1915 Dick 101-128.4 1,164,750 12/1915 Remnsnider 197-6.7 1,308,941 7/1919 Ranslow 197-6.4 1,357,090 10/1920 Hasbrouck 197-6.4 1,735,252 11/1929 Kiely 197-6.4 2,067,702 1/1937 Marsh 1976.7 2,262,676 11/1941 Helrnond 197-120 X 2,300,297 10/1942 Lampson 1976.4 2,324,662 7/1943 Aaron 101-1284 X 2,331,978 10/1943 Hempel et al 197-6.7 X 2,395,763 2/1946 Sagner 197-120 X 2,532,802 12/1950 Farwell 197-6.7 X

ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

DAVID KLEIN, Examiner.

r EDGAR S. BURR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A STENCIL CUTTING MACHINE, A BASE MEMBER, A TABLE STRUCTURE CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING A STENCIL SHEET ON THE UPPER SURFACE THEREOF, A STENCIL SHET CLAMPING STRUCTURE CAPABLE OF CLAMPING THE EDGE OF A STENCIL SHEET THEREIN, SAID CLAMPING STRUCTURE SLIDABLY CARRIED ON THE FORWARD EDGE OF SAID TABLE STRUCTURE SO THAT A STENCIL SHEET CLAMPED IN SAID CLAMPING STRUCTURE IS POSITIONED TO LIE ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID TABLE STRUCTURE AND IS SLID IN A LETTER SPACING DIRECTION ON SAID TABLE STRUCTURE RESPONSIVE TO SLIDING MOVEMENTS OF SAID CLAMPING STRUCTURE ON SAID TABLE STRUCTURE, MEANS CARRYING SAID TABLE STRUCTURE ON SAID BASE MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT OF SAID TABLE STRUCTURE IN A LINE SPACING DIRECTION RELATIVE TO SAID BASE MEMNER, A TYPE WHEEL, MEANS SUPPORTED ON SAID BASE MEMBER AND ROTATAIVELY CARRYING SAID TYPE WHEEL FOR MANUAL ROTATION IN A PLANE PARALLEL TO AND ABOVE THE UPPER SUFFACE OF SAID TABLE STRUCTURE, SAID TABLE STRUCTURE HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH, MEANS OPERATING THROUGH SAID OPENING AND AGAINST SAID TYPE WHEEL FOR CUTTING SELECTED TYPE SHAPE IN A STENCIL SHEET CLAMPED IN SAID CLAMPING STRUCTURE AND LYING ON SAID UPPER SURFACE OF SAID TABLE STRUCTURE AND BENEATH SAID TYPE WHEEL, BIASING MEANS CONTINUOUSLY BIASING SAID CLAMPING STRUCTURE FOR MOVEMENT IN A LINE ENDING DIRECTION OF ANY STENCIL CLAMPED THEREIN RELATIVE TO SAID TYPE WHEEL, SAID BIASINGMEANS ADDITIONALLY CONTINUOUSLY BIASING SAID TABLE STRUCTURE FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD THE LOWER END OF ANY STENCIL SHEET CLAMPED IN SAID CLAMPING STRUCTURE AND LYING ON SAID UPPER SURFACE OF SAID TABLE STRUCTURE RELATIVE TO SAID TYPE WHEEL, AND A SINGLE SPRING MOTOR, SAID SPRING MOTOR PROVIDING THE CONTINUOUS BIASING FORCE FOR SAID BIASING MEANS AND THEREBY PROVIDING BOTH LINE SPACING AND LETTER SPACING MOVEMENTS. 